Susan Alcorn, a visionary composer and instrumentalist, masterfully employs the Guitar Steel to craft deeply evocative musical narratives. Her album, a collection of introspective pieces, showcases the instrument’s versatility and emotional depth, inviting listeners into a world of profound sonic experiences. These compositions, born from diverse inspirations, highlight the unique voice of the guitar steel in contemporary music.
Delving into Emptiness with Guitar Steel: “The Heart Sutra”
The album opens with “The Heart Sutra,” a piece rooted in the ancient Buddhist text, the Sutra of the Heart of Transcendent Wisdom. Alcorn’s rendition is not a literal translation but a musical meditation on its core tenets, particularly the concept of “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness also is Form.” Performed primarily as a monotone recitation on the guitar steel, it emphasizes the subtle nuances of tone and resonance inherent in the instrument. The Buddha’s presence is musically signaled by a minor third, while octaves punctuate points of emphasis within the sutra. By focusing on unison notes, Alcorn draws attention to the rich tapestry of overtones, revealing the inherent life and vibration within each note produced by the guitar steel. This track serves as an immersive introduction to the album, setting a contemplative and deeply resonant tone.
A Pedal Steel Guitar Resurrection: Homage to Messiaen
“And I Await the Resurrection of the Pedal Steel Guitar” is a powerful declaration of Alcorn’s artistic identity and aspirations for her instrument. Inspired by Olivier Messiaen’s monumental “Et Exspecto Ressurectionem Mortuorum,” the piece shares the opening three notes as a direct homage. Alcorn recounts her transformative experience hearing Messiaen’s work, highlighting its overwhelming impact and lasting influence. This composition is not merely an imitation but an original expression of Alcorn’s feelings about the current state and future potential of the pedal steel guitar. She envisions the instrument in its totality – from its legs and pedals to the strings and pickups – as a storyteller. Through the evocative voice of the guitar steel, Alcorn conveys a hope for a future where the instrument rediscovers its capacity for majesty, ecstasy, and profound beauty, echoing the grandeur of Messiaen’s musical vision.
Broken Reflections: “The Glass is Already Broken”
“The Glass is Already Broken” takes a different turn, emerging from a collaboration with Amarillo poet Richard Todd. This piece is designed to accompany a recitation of Todd’s poem “Broken Glass,” suggesting a more fragmented and perhaps melancholic exploration through the guitar steel. While the original text is brief on details, the title itself evokes themes of fragility and impermanence, hinting at the emotional landscape explored by Alcorn’s musical interpretation on the steel guitar.
Conversational Soundscapes: “The First and Second Turning of the Wheel”
“The First Turning of the Wheel” and “The Second Turning of the Wheel” are presented as interconnected pieces, forming a “silent conversation” with the late Bob Graettinger, known for his innovative work with Stan Kenton. Alcorn describes Graettinger’s music as conjuring “a stark landscape of urban alienation, existential loneliness, and musical beauty.” These tracks are an open letter to Graettinger, an attempt to connect across time and influence. “The First Turning” is characterized as a soft, tentative approach, like “Soft hand on the shoulder,” while “The Second Turning” is a continuation, offering a “slightly different touch, sound, and emphasis.” Through the expressive capabilities of the guitar steel, Alcorn engages in a musical dialogue, exploring themes of connection and shared human experience in the spirit of Graettinger’s stark yet beautiful sound world.
Hope Amidst Warning: “Three Minute Warning”
The album concludes with “Three Minute Warning,” a reflection on contemporary anxieties and a search for hope. Alcorn expresses a struggle to maintain optimism amidst concerns for the planet and its inhabitants. The title itself, “Three Minute Warning,” implies imminent danger, yet within the concept of a “warning” lies the inherent possibility of averted disaster and renewed hope. Alcorn finds this hope in music itself, in “the notes, the sounds, the vast and limitless universe that exists within and between each note.” She sees music, embodied in the sound of her guitar steel, as a primordial song of the heart, a melody that has been with us all along, offering solace and a path towards awakening. The piece becomes a testament to the enduring power of music, and specifically the steel guitar, to articulate complex emotions and offer a glimmer of hope in uncertain times.
Through these diverse and deeply personal compositions, Susan Alcorn showcases the profound expressive potential of the guitar steel. Her album is not just a collection of songs but a journey through sound, exploring themes of spirituality, artistic inspiration, human connection, and hope, all rendered through the unique and evocative voice of the guitar steel.
